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Downsview (TTC)
Encyclopedia
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
. It is located at the intersection of William R. Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
West. The station is currently the northern terminus of its western branch, the Spadina line. It is also a ‘Vivastation’ on the Orange
Viva Orange
Viva Orange, or the Martin Grove-York University-Downsview line, is a line on the Viva bus rapid transit system in York Region, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its entire route is also served by other agencies' bus rapid transit services...
line of York Region’s Viva
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
bus rapid transit system. The TTC station opened in 1996 in what was then the City of North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
, and the Vivastation opened on October 16, 2005. The station has a large (641 space) commuter parking lot, accessible via Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue, which opened in July 2005.
The TTC has proposed that Downsview Station's name be changed to "Sheppard West", while the future subway station north of Downsview
Sheppard West (TTC)
Sheppard West is a Toronto Subway station under construction on the western branch of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located where the GO Transit Barrie line crosses Sheppard Avenue West, on an extension of Bakersfield Street...
would be named "Downsview Park". The name changes would take effect once the Spadina subway extension is completed.
Architecture and art
Downsview station was designed by Adamson Associates Architects (above grade buildings and mezzanine) and The Stevens Group Architects (below grade). The subway platform lacks pillars and the ceiling is high and curved, evoking an aircraft hangarHangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
. High ceilings, skylights and an exceptionally large mezzanine make the station feel open and airy. Natural light reaches all areas of the station including the subway platform.
The station features two pieces of artwork. Sliding Pi is a large scale wall mosaic by Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
artist Arlene Stamp. It can be viewed when traveling between the bus platform and the mezzanine level. Boney Bus by John McKinnon
John McKinnon
John Walter McKinnon, , New Zealand diplomat and public servant.McKinnon was educated at Nelson College, Victoria University of Wellington, and the London School of Economics...
is located at the front of the station and consists of an abstract bus shape made from giant metal beams.
Subway infrastructure in the vicinity
The subway platform is located underground east of Allen Road. The line continues south underground for 750 metres to cross to the west side of the road, after exiting at the Clayton Park Portal the line runs on the surface past Wilson Yard, the TTC’s newest subway yard, which opened in 1978. At this point Allen Road becomes an elevated expressway; the subway, using what were originally the yard access tracks, crosses under its southbound lanes and rises to the road's level.Nearby landmarks
Nearby landmarks include Downsview ParkDownsview Park
Downsview Park is a former Canadian Forces Base in the community of Downsview in Toronto, Canada. It contains about 231.5 hectares of land, of which more than 130 hectares are earmarked for traditional parkland, recreational and cultural amenities...
, which was the site of the World Youth Day
World Youth Day
World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....
Papal Visit in 2002 and the ‘SARSstock
Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto
Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto was a benefit rock concert that was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2003. It was also known as "Toronto Rocks", "Stars 4 SARS", "SARSStock", "SARSfest", "SARS-a-palooza", the "SARS concert", or, more descriptively, "The Rolling Stones SARS Benefit...
’ concert in 2003. It is the site of an airstrip formerly used as a military base (CFB Downsview
CFB Downsview
Canadian Forces Base Downsview is a former Canadian Forces base in Toronto, Ontario. The airfield is currently operated as Toronto/Downsview Airport.-RCAF Station Downsview:...
), and by an aircraft manufacturer (DeHavilland), separating the station area from the original village of Downsview.
Surface connections
TTC routes serving the station include:- 84 Sheppard West, running along Sheppard AvenueSheppard AvenueSheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
, and connecting with Sheppard-Yonge stationSheppard-Yonge (TTC)Sheppard-Yonge is a station on the Yonge-University-Spadina and Sheppard lines of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the third busiest subway station in the system, after Bloor-Yonge, and St...
. - 101 Parc Downsview Park to Downsview ParkDownsview ParkDownsview Park is a former Canadian Forces Base in the community of Downsview in Toronto, Canada. It contains about 231.5 hectares of land, of which more than 130 hectares are earmarked for traditional parkland, recreational and cultural amenities...
- 104 Faywood to Wilson Station
- Route 105: Dufferin North (Extra Fare required north of Steeles Ave.)
- 105 to Rutherford & Dufferin
- 105B to Major Mackenzie & Dufferin
- 105C to Steeles
- Route 106: York University
- 106 to York University
- 106A to York University (Original Terminal is Wilson Station, but goes into Downsview Station)
- Route 107: Keele North (Extra Fare required north of Steeles Ave.)
- 107B to Rutherford GO Station
- 107C to Teston Rd
- 107D to Naughton
- 107F to Kirby Rd
- Route 108: Downsview
- 108, 108A & 108B all go to Jane & Driftwood (108B's original Terminal is Wilson Station, but goes into Downsview Station)
- Route 117: Alness
- 117 to Steeles via Dufferin
- 117A to Steeles via Martin Ross & Alness
- Route 196: York University Rocket
- 196A & 196B to York University (196B's original Terminal is Sheppard-Yonge Station)
Viva bus rapid transit
Downsview Station is served by the Orange lineViva Orange
Viva Orange, or the Martin Grove-York University-Downsview line, is a line on the Viva bus rapid transit system in York Region, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its entire route is also served by other agencies' bus rapid transit services...
of York Region’s Viva
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
bus rapid transit system. Service began on October 16, 2005.
Viva buses stop three times at Downsview. Buses offload all of their passengers at a stop outside station entrance before proceeding within the bus terminal to pick up passengers. This is to ensure that Viva riders do not access the TTC without paying a TTC fare, as the bus terminal is inside the station's fare paid zone. After this, they stop a third time, on westbound Sheppard Avenue, to pick up passengers who did not transfer from the subway or a TTC bus.
This Vivastation is considered a Viva ‘terminal’. Therefore, there are multiRide ticket vending machines available.
Subway extensions
Construction is currently underway on an extension of the Spadina line north from Downsview to York UniversityYork University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
and Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within...
. The Government of Ontario has committed $670 million – one third of the expected cost – to extending the Spadina subway past Steeles to the proposed Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2015.
The TTC has proposed that Downsview be renamed Sheppard West with the opening of the Spadina extension, and that the proposed new Sheppard West station be named Downsview Park. This is because Downsview station is better identified as being on Sheppard Avenue, while Sheppard West (Downsview Park) is closer to the entrance of Downsview Park.
The original plans for the Sheppard line called for it to connect with the Spadina line at Downsview, but when constructed in the late 1990s the line was halted after the first phase due to funding issues. After election in Fall 2010, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
indicated that completing the Sheppard line to its original route is his top transit priority